The Ant and the Boot
by The-glass-paperweight
Summary: "An ant has no quarrel with a boot." - Or has it? What ought to be a normal evening at work turns out to be more like being plunged in at the icy-blue deep end, when Ana, student from Stuttgart, stumbles into a tussle between light and darkness. But when the whole world is falling to pieces, how can you tell the one thing from another?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I feel my heart beating against my chest.

Feeling your heart beat should be a good thing. But now, the speed in which it pumps the blood through my veins and its throbbing just feels menacing. It sounds like the harsh, heavy pattering of raindrops on a window pane that seems to constantly try to get through the glass to reach you. To grab you with its sloppy fingers and toss you into the storm outside.

I allow myself to slowly slide down the wall in my back and try to focus on the feeling of the smooth glass beneath my trembling fingertips. That, and to breath. To take steady, even breaths. I suddenly feel like a little girl again. A girl, whose eyes are blurry with tears and hands clutching the tattered ends of her blanket tightly in a stormy night. Counting. Waiting for the thunder yet to come.

"Well, that was pretty close, huh?" A voice rolls its way through my mind. Nothing like thunder, more like a chilly breeze on a sunny morning in spring.

Startled I push myself away from the pane, nearly losing my balance due to the sudden effort. My fingers grab the iron handrail next to me, hoping to save me from the storm pulling me ultimately into his ruthless swirls.

I gasp.  
How did I forget about him? At all?!

The man behind the pane places his hands on his knees and pushes himself up, a diabolic smile on his lips. His icy-blue eyes capture mine, like they are sensing and soaking in the evident fear shining in them. Imbibing it.

An uncertain hunch crawls up my throat. I cannot turn my gaze away from the dark-haired man. His presents seems devouring and yet calm like the eye of a storm.

In the back of my mind I start to wonder: was I really successful in escaping from the monster I was running from? Or am I facing the true monster in this very moment?

 **Note** **  
Hey everyone :)  
this is my first fanfiction in English (a translation of my own 'native-language'-fanfiction)...so I hope it's not too bad (please tell me when it is...immediately... before it's too late^^)  
I just thought, I give it a try, you never know...  
Hope you enjoy the following chapters :)**

 **Update**

 **This 'new/rewritten' prologue is the result of some editing work. A very special thanks to my beta-reader 'Idyllicdream' for helping me make this 'mumbo-jumbo' of mine more readable ;)**

 **Revised Chapters are coming up soon only on dv...uhm no, here, of course ;)**


	2. (You're The) Devil In Diguise

**Chapter one - (You're The) Devil In Disguise**

"Another glass of Champagne for you, Sir?"

I put forth my hand with the dinner tray on it, smiling a synthetic smile in the man's direction. The golden fluid nearly crawls over the edge of the glasses as he takes two of them from the tray and hands one over to a woman standing next to him. The clear sound of clinking glasses is nothing but a quiet recurring tone in my back, while I'm already continuing my walk through the crowd of people before me. I oppress an exhausted moan.

I've only been here for about three hours and my facial muscles already hurt as much as my feet, sticking in the most inconvenient and tight black boots that have ever been produced. I'm sure of it.

I have to withhold a derisive smile when I spot a banner next to the stage with the theme of this exhibition, on it. 'Conquest and Immolation', it says. As a matter of fact, I really immolate the further functionality of my toes here.

Slowly I focus the scenery before me, searching for a potential accepter of my glasses of Champagne. I have to admit, that this event is actually the most classy of my previous working premises and that the building itself kind of tempers my little aches and pains.  
The architecture of the art gallery is impressive. It's white marmoreal floor and the ionic column stages the exposed paintings and statues in a most pleasant way, being surrounded by the harmonic sound of the few violins playing on one side of the lobby.

Needless to say, that every guest of this gala wants to show himself on his best. I presume that most of the dresses and suits here probably cost the same as the annual rent of my studio apartment.  
Unerring I walk to a woman in a mauve dress, whose robe is strewn with shiny little pearls.

 _Alright_ , two annual rents.

Well, in the moment it doesn't really bother me, because she takes the last glass on my tray and I'm able to relax one of my arms for a moment. I make my way back, past the small stage next to the stairs on which in a few minutes some official should give a speech. A Dr. Heinrich or Herbert Schäfer, head of a local security company, if I'm not mistaken.

"Ana!" The pronunciation of my name follows a quick nudge on my shoulder. When I turn around, I look into the face of one of my workmates. Lisa wears her blond hair in a casual knot just as I do, fumbling around with the black tie, that belongs to our work clothes this evening, along with the black boots. "Gosh, this tie is going to strangulate me!"  
The tray in one hand I desperately point out to my feet. "Tell me about it. These boots are reshaping my feet."  
Lisa giggles as she drags me on the sleeves of my shirt away from the well-dressed crowd.  
"Tom asked me to fetch some snacks from the kitchen and bring them down here, but I really need to go to the toilette", she puts on her best little-puppy-look. "Could you...?"  
"Yeah, alright. I'll deal with the snacks." I stop her with a wave of my hand, an ironic smile on my lips. "I really don't want to be the one cleaning up your mess otherwise."  
"Ha, ha. Funny." Lisa's already disappearing in direction of the toilets, quickly mumbling something that sounds like a 'Thank you'.  
Amused I follow her swift steps with my eyes. I knew Lisa for about two years now. She also studies at the University of Stuttgart. But while she's studying to become a teacher, I'm bustling about the engineering for about four terms now. Lisa was also the one informing me about this job here.

I could really use the extra money.

With a frazzled puff I surmount the last stair tread on my way to the kitchen.  
I really need to go to the gym more often...  
The sound of clashing porcelain flies through the floor as I search for the right door, when suddenly something else captures my attention. Or rather: someone else.  
About twenty metres away from me a man stands on the gallery from which you are able to observe the whole lobby.

I furl my eyebrows, doubtingly.

Was he allowed to stand there? Everywhere in the gallery I've seen signs tonight that prohibited the entry and even the stairs that led me here were only open to the staff.

He doesn't look like a member of the security either. Those men always wear Headsets and visible badges.

I stand on the door sill to the Kitchen, hesitating. I really wasn't in the mood to play security guard. Why should I clean up their mess?

The next moment I'm on my way to the man. A tidy house, a tidy mind.

Maybe he just got lost on the way to the toilet. That's what happens to me all the time.

From the lobby a muffling sound follows my steps on the museums-floor. The man on the stage must have started with his speech. When I'm just five metres away from the dark-haired man I finally stop and clear my throat. "Excuse me, may I help you?"

No response.

Maybe he just couldn't hear me. Or wouldn't?

Enforcedly I take another few steps in the direction of the man, who is still mesmerizedly watching the events in the lobby. His black hair brings out the paleness of his skin and ends shortly over his shoulders, on which he wears a green scarf.

I clear my throat again. Louder.

"Excuse me, Sir. I don't think you are allowed to stand here."

The man opposite me seems to notice my presence not until this very moment, turning away from the banister, facing me now. With an arched eyebrow he glances down my whole body before focusing on my eyes again.

I'm weirdly feeling like being in a job interview. Being judged.

"You got lost?" Now that I am standing face to face to that man, his whole appearance seems somehow...out of place to me. His delicate features and the way he's looking...down at me seem utterly disconcerting. I somehow hope he confirms my question.

Instead his mouth shows a devious smile, his icy-blue eyes glittering with amusement.  
"Oh...no, my dear. Not at all."

As he gets one step closer, still smiling, I suddenly recognize the bronze walking stick in his right hand. On its top a blue stone glistens in the incoming light. I move backwards. Uneasily.

"But I think, you may be helpful in some way." Without giving me a second to react, he points out the stick in my direction and places it at my throat.

I gasp.

My eyes widen in panic, as I feel like being ripped of my body and sinking into a darkness that seems to overwhelm me with its infinity.

My consciousness dives into a cloud of rage and disappointment, desperately reaching out for the only glimpse of light illuminating the emptiness.

The last thing I am aware of, on conscious, are glittering, icy-blue eyes.


	3. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

**Cha** **pter two (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear**

 _There is a boy in my head._

 _Well... not really in my head._

 _In the crystal clear haze._

 _In the dark._

 _In the shadow._

 _His pitch black hair sticks out of his youthful head, giving me a good view of his warm, green eyes. He wears a brown shirt that is way too big for his slim body and burrows his hands in its pockets._

 _He looks at me._

 _Inquiring._

 _Innocent._

 _"_ _Who are you?", I ask, my voice sounding like it doesn't belong to myself anymore._

 _The boy only shrugs his shoulders._

 _"_ _What is this here?"My eyes wander through the space, searchingly._

 _He looks around like he doesn't really care, like he's used to the darkness around him._

 _"_ _Infinity."_

 _He says it, like it's the most normal thing in the world._

* * *

I feel my feet sliding down the marmoreal stairs.

Panic. That's the only thing flowing through my veins, as I notice that I'm no longer in control of my own body.

My consciousness revolts, bristles up, wants to return – but my body keeps moving down the stairs, following the man in the black suit.

Fear eats its way through my thoughts, but not one tear runs down my expressionless face while I suddenly stop in front of the stage, watching the dark-haired man knock out one of the security-guards with his stick and drag the speaker to an altar in the lobby before us.

The screams of the people echo through the hall and withing a few seconds the whole room sinks into total chaos. People run around, their eyes hurrying through the room, frantically edging towards the exit.

My body sets itself in motion.

Slowly I walk to the altar, stopping a few meters next to the man in the black suit.

My whole consciousness screams at me to follow my instincts, too.

To run.

To flee.

But my body doesn't hear me scream. No one does.

The dark-haired man pushes the man in front of him violently onto the altar, a silver pen in his hands, from which in this very moment three thin grappler come up with a mechanically hiss.

And then he stabs out.

I want to close my eyes. Gasp in horror. React.

The icy-blue eyes of the man wear a delighted twinkle, as he raises them to look upon the chaos he created.

* * *

 _"_ _He wasn't always like that."_

 _Irritated I look to the boy, whose green eyes are sadly watching the dark-haired man._

 _"_ _How did he become like that?"_

 _The boy looks away, staring at the dark to his feet instead._

 _His hands are clenched into angry fists. "No one ever really saw him."_

 _Then, as if he had untighten the tension inside, his hands relax and he lifts his head._

 _He looks at me, knowingly._

 _"_ _No one ever really listened to him."_

* * *

The dark-haired man loosens his grip of the motionless man and steps towards the exit.

The air around him seems to glimmer, as the dark suit suddenly turns into a green armor and a golden helmet appears on his head.

A superior smile plays around the corners of his mouth as we step through the door on the square outside on which there are still many people roaming around.

Without any forewarning an identical copy of the man shows up on the other side of the plaza, as are on every side of this plaze now. They bottle the people up, giving them no chance to escape.

I see fear in their eyes. Fear they can't see in mine.

"Kneel before me!" The voice of the dark-haired man echoes over the plaza and the crowd of people around us.

I feel my knees bending under me, angrily. Helplessly.

"I said. _Kneel_!"

I notice the crowd getting more and more quiet until there is no more voice left drifting through the air of the night.

Only one.

"Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state?"He grins an arrogant smile as he looks down at us. "It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bride lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity." A pause, fraughting with meaning. "In the end, you will always kneel."

A subtle moan goes through the people around me and my body moves my head.

A man is standing in the middle of the crowd, staring into the mans icy-blue eyes. "Not to men like you."

Again, the grin. "There are no men like me."

"There are always men like you."

"Look to your elder, people", the stone of his stick flashes frighteningly while he speaks, "let him be an example."

Just as a blue flash of light leaves the top of the stick, another man stands before the older one, shielding him by flinging the beam of light back to the dark-haired man, rushing him off his feet.

The crowd diverges while the attacker steps up to the armored man. "You know the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

The face of the man is hidden under a blue-red mask, as is his body. The shield, he is wearing is embellished by a white star.

The dark-haired man pulls himself together while I'm getting on my feet, too.

"The soldier", he says. "A man out of time."

"I'm not the one..."

I can't hear the rest of what he is saying, because right now there's a helicopter kind of thing appearing in the night sky above us, twirling the air around us in a sudden twist.

As I look back at the two men both of them are preoccupied fighting each other.

It looks like the dark one's getting the better of the soldier.

Horrified I realize that my body is moving in their direction, until a sound is letting it spin around and watch the sky.

I cannot identify what exactly is making its way down here, but it is doing so with furious speed.

* * *

 _"_ _You must help him!"_

 _The pleading voice of the boy assails my ears and I swirl around to look at him, blankly._

 _"_ _He wanted to kill that man just like that. I cannot..."_

 _"_ _Please!" The boy desperately reaches out his hand and tries to run up to me, but he doesn't come closer. "You must help him!"_

 _I want to shake my head. "I cannot...I..-"_

 _"_ _Please!"_

* * *

The very last second I throw myself in front of the dark-haired man.

I see the red shadow hurtling towards us.

I see the soldier open his eyes, startled, trying to pull me away.

And then it's like my whole body exploding.

Pain flashes through my bowels like striking lightening, letting me gasp groaning, until darkness finally breaks open before my eyes and swallows me whole.

The last thing I'm aware of are green, innocent eyes.


End file.
